The cast of "Dancing with the Stars," back row from left: NBA player Ron Artest, actor David Arquette, actor and Iraq War veteran J.R. Martinez, TV personality Rob Kardashian, activist Chaz Bono. Seated from ... more

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Maksim Chmerkovskiy has been on "Dancing with the Stars" since its second season. He will be Hope Solo's partner for the 13th season.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy has been on "Dancing with the Stars" since its second season. He will be Hope Solo's partner for the 13th season.

Photo: Frederick M. Brown / Getty Images

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Chmerkovskiy has previously partnered with Erin Andrews, Kirstie Alley, Brandy, Denise Richards and Misty May-Treanor. He has never won.

Chmerkovskiy has previously partnered with Erin Andrews, Kirstie Alley, Brandy, Denise Richards and Misty May-Treanor. He has never won.

Photo: Taylor Hill / Getty Images

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Andrews and Chmerkovskiy were rumored to be romantically involved during the 10th season of "Dancing with the Stars."

Andrews and Chmerkovskiy were rumored to be romantically involved during the 10th season of "Dancing with the Stars."

Photo: Rick Diamond / Getty Images

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Despite several public appearances together, such as the 2010 ACC tournament, Andrews and Chmerkovskiy insisted they were just friends.

Despite several public appearances together, such as the 2010 ACC tournament, Andrews and Chmerkovskiy insisted they were just friends.

Photo: Jeff Zelevansky / Getty Images

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Andrews and Chmerkovskiy finished third. It probably didn't hurt Andrews that she is a former Florida Gators dancer and her sister, Kendra, left, is a professional dancer.

Andrews and Chmerkovskiy finished third. It probably didn't hurt Andrews that she is a former Florida Gators dancer and her sister, Kendra, left, is a professional dancer.

Photo: Michael Buckner / Getty Images

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Solo has made several appearances since returning from the World Cup in Germany, including throwing out the first pitch as a Cubs game.

Solo has made several appearances since returning from the World Cup in Germany, including throwing out the first pitch as a Cubs game.

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Solo also attended the final season premiere of "Entourage" at the Beacon Theatre in New York.

Solo also attended the final season premiere of "Entourage" at the Beacon Theatre in New York.

Photo: ASSOCIATED PRESS

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Hope Solo paired with Erin Andrews' old partner for 'DWTS'

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Hope Solo wasn’t sure her schedule would ever allow time for “Dancing with the Stars,” but she had one major cheerleader pulling for her to be on the show.

Maksim Chmerkovskiy, a professional dancer and show regular who was previously paired with ESPN sideline reporter Erin Andrews, campaigned for Solo to be on the show, Lynn Hoppes of ESPN.com reported.

“I saw that Maks had gone on ESPN’s ‘SportsCenter’ trying to recruit me a few months ago, but I was focusing on the World Cup at the time,” Solo told Hoppes. “When I came back home, I looked at my schedule and I see no reason why I can’t do it.”

The former Husky and current U.S. women’s soccer team goalkeeper said on her Twitter feed that she hopes to raise awareness for women’s soccer by competing on the show. She also knows athletes have been pretty successful in the past, most recently Pittsburgh Steelers wide receiver Hines Ward on the last season.

Solo has become perhaps the biggest women’s soccer celebrity in the United States since Brandi Chastain’s famous sport-bra celebration during the 1999 World Cup. Solo has also posed for ESPN the Magazine’s Body Issue, which features nude and nearly nude athletes.